Douche apparatus



United States Patent inventor William Greer F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming (3506 Rampart Drive, Orlando, FL 32809) Appl. No. 720,965 Filed April 12, 1968 Patented Oct. 13, 1970 DOUCHE APPARATUS 1 Claim, 9 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 128/229, 128/251. 128/235 1nt.Cl A6lm 3/00 Field of Search 128/229.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS McQueen .1 Marvin..... C hapin Friend Drapen ct alt Primary E.\'aminrL. W. Trapp Assistant Examiner-J. Yasko Alt0r neyHerbert .1. Brown ABSTRACT: Douche apparatus to be connected to a standard water tap and having a reservoir for liquid medication, valves to proportion the amount of medication mixing with the water, and having stowage space for the flexible tubing and nozzles therewith.

Patented 0t.13,1970 Y 3,533,409

3mm '33 I 3 WILL/AM GREER v INVENTOR.

I BY

' I v ATTORNEY DOUCHE APPARATUS This invention relates to douche apparatus for internalcleansing and medicationand is of the type which receives its water supply by means of attachment to a standard water faucet. The apparatus includes a reservoir for liquid medication to be mixed automatically with the water passing therethrough. I

The invention also provides a douche apparatus which has an integral case including stowage for the tubing and a choice of nozzles used in connection with the mixing device.

Previous devices of this type have required complicated special parts and have sometimes been difficult to adjust and operate and were unreliable in holding the correct proportion of medication to water.

One object of the invention is to provide a douche apparatus with automatic proportioning of medication to water in which the proportion is easily adjustable and will stay within relatively close limits.

M metastas s of'the'lirveiifib'n is ts' ta'via'aaosasaap paratus which is neat and compact, while including stowage space for tubes and nozzles, and which can be assembled partly from standard fittings, requiring a minimum of special parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a douche apparatus in which the pressure of the water supply is utilized to propel the medication into the flow line in the required amount.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. I is an external side elevational' view of the apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway side view of the case showing a partly broken view of the reservoir therein.

FIG. 3 is a reduced scale plan view of the case with the lid removed.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional detail of a piston used within the reservoir.

FIG. 5 is a vertical centerline section of the disconnect between the tube and a nozzle.

FIG. 6 is an isometric centerline sectional view of part of one type of nozzle.

F167 is an isometric view of a clamp to hold the tubing on a water faucet. I FIG. 8 is a partial detail of the clamp shown in FIG. 7, and ,FIG. 9 is a plan view of a valve used to control the flow of medication;

Tris E558 10 ofthe apparatus h5 1. lid 11 attached to the I V or plastic sealing ring (not shown) to make it liquid tight.

A new Eip 2'5e3rieridsihTii 'iiiSfilEIs'fOnH hri'sth female half of standard sealing disconnects 26 and 26a at each end. A short nipple'27 leads from the flow pipe 25 to the bottom of the reservoir 22. From a point near the top of the reservoir 22 a branch pipe 28 leads downward and joins the pipe 25 with a Y joint 29 directing the flow towards the disconnect 26a. A calibrated measuring valve 30 is located in the branch pipe 28 at its top where it can be easily reached. A pressure regulator 31 is installed in the flow pipe 25 between the nipple 27 and the Y joint 29 and is set to limit the pressure on the farside to '4 to 6 p.s.i. A check valve 32 prevents reverse flow in the flow pipe 25.

Within the reservoir 22 there is a free floatinghollow piston 33 molded from light weight metal or plastic and having a skirt 34 to keep-it in'alignment and O-rings 35 therearound to provide a seal with the wall of the reservoir 22. When the piston 33 is in its lowest position the reservoir above is filled with medication or cleansing agent and the measuring valve is adjusted according to instructions provided to maintain the desired proportions of the mixture to be delivered through the nozzle.

A flexible supply tube 36 is fitted at one end with the male half 37 of the disconnect 26 and at the other end with a bulb 38 to fit over a standard faucet 39. A clamp 40 holds the bulb 38 tightly on the faucet 39 and is comprised of a wraparound overlapping band 41 supplied with pinch wings 42 and 43 attached to the inner end 44 and outer end 45 of the band, respectively. The outer end 45 of the band 41 is provided with a series of latch holes 46 and the inner end 44 is provided with an outwardly pressed catch 47 which fits-the holes. When the pinch wings 42 and 43 are squeezed toward each other the band 4l compresses the bulb against the faucet 39 and the catch 47 snaps into one of the holes 46. To release the clamp 40 the wings 42 and 43 are squeezed and the catch 47 is depressed into the soft material of the bulb 38 releasing it from the hole 46.

A flexible delivery tube 48 is equipped at one end with a male half 37 of the disconnect 26a and at the other end with a male fitting 49 having an annular groove 50 to fit into a soft hole 56 to align with the passage 62 in the nozzle. Releasing the stem 58 closes the valve. Other special nozzles typified by the plain one 63 can also be used, each having the female fitting 52.

When the faucet 39 is turned on, the fluid in the apparatus is static until the valve 55 in the nozzle 53 is opened. The pressure regulator 31 then holds the pressure on the far side of the flow pipe 25 to less than the pressure at the nipple 27 leading into the bottom of the reservoir 22. Consequently, the piston 33 is forced upward at a rate determined by the degree of opening of the calibrated valve 30, thus feeding the medication through the branch pipe 28 into the flow pipe 25 in the desired proportion. When the valve 55 is closed the flow stops and the piston 35 remains where it is.

If the measuring valve 30 is closed all the way the apparatus will deliver clear water through the nozzle 53. When the flexible tubes 36 and 48 are disconnected the fluid within the apparatus remains static until the next use. The tubes 36 and 48 can be rolled up and stowed in the space 20 within the case 10.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary construction herein shown and described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

l. A douche apparatus comprising in combination an outer case, a cylindrical reservoir in one end of said case, a free floating closed piston within said reservoir, a flow pipe extending through said case, a lateral connection from said flow pipe to the lower portion of said reservoir, a branch pipe leading from the top portion of said reservoir to the flow pipe on the far side of said lateral connection, a measuring valve in said branch pipe, a pressure regulator in the flow pipe between the lateral connection to the reservoir and the junction of the branch pipe with the flow pipe, a calibrated adjustable opening valve inthe branch line, sealing disconnects at each end of the flow pipe, a first flexible tube and connector fitted to the disconnect at the near end of the flow pipe, a bulb on the extending end of said flexible tube adapted to fit a standard water faucet, a second flexible tube and a connector thereon fitted to the disconnect at the far end of the flow pipe and a douche nozzle on the other end of said second flexible tube. 

